Federal officials announce new standards for post-Sandy rebuilding

KEARNY – Against the backdrop of Substation 41 — a critical power source for Amtrak and NJ Transit trains that was knocked out by Sandy’s floodwaters, federal officials on Thursday announced new standards designed to protect infrastructure and commuters against future super storms.

The standards for rebuilding property destroyed by Sandy require homeowners, businesses, and agencies like NJ Transit to elevate structures one foot higher than what flood maps currently require, U. S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Shaun Donovan, chair of the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, announced during a visit to the region.

Donovan said homeowners must adhere to the standard any time they have damage valued at more than 50 percent of their home’s market value, and are rebuilding with federal funds. The standard brings consistency across all federal agencies.

LaHood said Sandy’s force “dealt a devastating blow to the transportation system here in the Northeast.

“Right here, at Substation 41, major flooding caused this station to lose power, impacting Amtrak and New Jersey Transit,” he said. “Today’s announcement will help prevent the kind of infrastructure delays” that Sandy imposed.

Donovan said standards the Christie Administration announced earlier this year are already consistent with the federal standard.

Following Sandy, damage to Substation 41, a hulking structure in the middle of the Meadowlands, resulted in only a limited number of NJ Transit trains operating in and out of New York Penn Station as crews work to restore power. NJ Transit shares the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor tracks in New Jersey.

Spokesman John Durso, Jr. said NJ Transit, which is seeking Sandy relief funds to restore $450 million in system damage, will review the new federal standard and work closely with the U. S. Department of Transportation “to harden our transit infrastructure and make it more resilient to future super storms.”

Amtrak officials, meanwhile, have said they want to Substation 41 atop a platform that will be above the high water line, in addition to adding electrical capacity.

Elevating the station would cost about $25 million, federal officials said Thursday